The Judgement of Alexander
by delos13
Summary: Everybody says that Alexander's solution of the Gordian Knot problem was brilliant, everybody says that Paris' solution of the Golden Apple problem was stupid. But is it ingenuity of a man or the challenge he faces?


This story is my birthday present for elpis_of_hope. She disappeared for a long time from the online communities and I am trying to entice her to come back.

This story is a pure fiction and a product of my imagination, please treat it as such.

I hope everybody will enjoy the story but I ask you to be patient. I suspect you would start to read and then think "What's the Hell? This story has nothing to do with either Alexander or Hephaistion!" But believe me, it does!

And whatever you think about this story, your comments are treasured and appreciated a lot.

Hermes didn't expect anything unusual when his father invited him for a chat. But as conversation went on and on the messenger god became acutely aware of the fact that he had no idea what his father wanted from him. Well, it wasn't much of the conversation either since Zeus did most of the talking. He reminisced about the old times, how the mortals' offering were more numerous and generous, heroes were more brave and spectacular and women were definitely more gorgeous and radiant.

"And these days, you know, I look at the woman whose beauty is sung by poets and supposedly equal that of Aphrodite, and I don't feel any desire in my loins," sadly stated the Father of Gods, "am I getting older or this world is not what it used to be? I remember in older times," and Zeus dreamily smiled, "there were so many attractive women who bewitched me with their looks, I had a hard time to choose which one to seduce, and now, now, I am even contemplating paying a visit to my brother!"

"Poseidon?" Hermes was genially surprised, "do you think he steals all the beauties from Earth and hides them in his underwater palaces?"

"No, not Poseidon, but Hades. All the beauties of the past now are mere shadows, but I think that even as shadows they are more attractive to my eyes than those plain and unappealing beings that inhabit the Earth now."

"Oh, father, I don't think that the situation is as bad as you describe it. As a matter of fact I see a lot of enchanting and fascinating women in my travels, I wish I have time to dally with some of them."

"Perhaps you are right and I have to get out more, roam the Earth as I did in older days, but in those days I was able to spot a lot of attractive wenches from the heights of Olympus. Now, I don't see anyone worth my attention. Maybe you can point me in the right direction?" with those words Zeus hopefully looked at his son.

"Yeah, sure, no problem," with slight hesitation agreed Hermes, "I can do that." Sensing that their father – son time came to the end, Hermes tilted his head as a sign of respect and took off.

Hermes remembered his promise to his father and pointed to him all the beauties he saw in his travels. But Zeus wasn't impressed. One had too round face, another had too short legs, this princess had small eyes, that princess had shrill voice, this king wife was too dull, that king wife was too much of a chatterbox. Hermes would suspect that Zeus was just making fun of him but he saw that each time his father became sadder and sadder.

"This is nonsense, I don't understand what he wants," Hermes was debating with himself. "He is the only one who's complaining. If I hear one more time about the beauties of the past, I am going to suggest to him to use his powers and go to that past. He then can pluck all the beauties of ages-that-no-more and bring them to the present. Or perhaps he can go to the future, maybe things changed to the better again. Or I can be a good son and do that for him. I will go to the future and do some reconnaissance."

Quite delighted with his own inspiration, Hermes smiled to himself and decided that there was no point to postpone the fulfilment of his brilliant idea.

The success of his mission was overwhelming. His father eyes glinted with excitement when he saw the first young woman that Hermes kidnapped from the future.

"You know," Zeus told him afterwards, "I always liked scantly clothed women, but now I realize that peeling off all those layers of finery can be a real pleasure in itself. I am not going to ask you to reveal the place where you found her but I hope that source won't dry any time soon!"

"I don't think so," merrily assured Hermes his father. He was not about to divulge his secret place; he wasn't quite sure how Zeus or any other gods were going to react to his tapping into the future resources.

And so it continued for some time. Zeus never asked Hermes how and where he was able to spot all those beauties and the messenger god didn't have any desire to boast. As a matter of fact he became quite concerned about his travels between present and future. They were in addition to his obligatory tasks of conducting the souls of deceased into the Underworld and taking messages to other gods and mortals in the present. Sometimes Hermes felt it necessary to stop and think where he was and to his horror he realized that it took him more and more time to properly take his bearings. He started to have headaches, felt dizziness and found it incredibly difficult to balance in the air. He also realized that his reaction response became slower than before and several times he almost collided with some big things that travelled in the air in the future.

"You may be in a very high graces with Zeus right now but there is no way I am going to do you job because of it," Hermes heard a high pitched voice somewhere in vicinity.

"Ah?" Hermes tried to focus on some multi coloured apparition that was looming before him.

"Hermes," the apparition snapped the fingers before his eyes, "are you listening?"

"I am trying to," Hermes knit his brow and attempted to send a mental order to his sandals to steady, "what do you want, Iris? I have a huge headache!"

"Sorry to hear that," Iris didn't even try to hide her indifference. "Here are the invitations. Zeus wants them to be delivered today."

"What invitations?" Hermes had absolutely no idea what goddess was talking about.

"To the wedding, of course! Did you drink some of that nasty poison that Dionysus likes to spread around?"

"No, I didn't! Who's getting married?"

Iris rolled her eyes. "Hermes, stop playing me for a fool. Thetis and Peleus, of course. Don't you know? After Heracles freed Prometheus from the rock…"

"Yes, I remember now," Hermes stopped Iris with irritation. "What does it have to do with me?"

"The invitations, remember?" Iris waved a bunch of scrolls before Hermes' eyes, "you have to deliver them all."

"Can't we split them, at least?" the messenger god pleaded with some fake humility. "I'll help you out next time."

"No, thanks," resolutely responded Iris. "I had to write all those invitations and Hera wants me to make the seating arrangements for the guests. Do you want to switch jobs?"

"Oh, no," Hermes felt horrified at the prospect, "I'll better stick to delivering invitations. See you later, dear!" and Hermes took off with the speed he didn't suspect he was capable of at the moment.

The delivery task was tedious and taking a lot of time. "Why we even have to invite all those minor gods and goddesses, all those nymphs and satyrs," tiredly mumbled Hermes trying to make a hasty retreat from the embraces and kisses of some grateful dryad who couldn't believe her luck when she saw the invitation. Hermes was so eager to say his goodbyes and continue on his journey that he didn't notice one of the scrolls falling into the ground and getting lost in the lush greenery of the forest.

The wedding was huge and sprawled over all Mount Pelion. It was noisy and boisterous, loud and unrestrained. Dionysus definitely worked hard and the results were showing. Unable to bear all that cacophony Hermes found himself a quiet spot under the huge sycamore and dosed off. He didn't know how much time passed when he was awakened by Iris who roughly shook his shoulder trying to get his attention.

"You again," angrily protested Hermes when he saw the goddess standing over him, "what is it now?"

"Zeus wants to see you," calmly declared Iris, "and you have only yourself to blame for it."

"How come?" asked the messenger god.

"Out of all the invitations I gave you to deliver, you chose the wrong one to loose."

"Just one?" Hermes tried to sound cheerful while mentally taking a tally of all the guests he remembered seeing to figure out who was missing.

"Yes, just one," mockingly confirmed Iris, "but a wrong one."

"Don't play games with me, Iris; I am really not in a mood. Whom did I forget?"

"Eris!"

"Gee, dear, who is missing her?"

"Nobody, but she got offended."

"So what? Don't tell me that my father is playing a peacemaker again and wants me to go to fetch her and apologise."

"No," Iris shook her head, "Eris can take care of herself, and it's usually at somebody else's expense."

"What did she do? Cursed the bride and the groom?"

"No, she went to the Garden of Hesperides and stole a golden apple from the famous tree."

"So, what now? Father wants me to steal it back?" tried to guess Hermes.

"No," Iris tiredly sighed and for the first time Hermes realized that she was exhausted and weary too. "She wrote _"to the fairest one"_ on the apple and threw it in the middle of the celebration. Aphrodite, Hera and Athena saw the apple first and now each one of them claims that it should be awarded to her."

Hermes' eyebrows went up, "What did Dionysus put into their wine? Why would Hera or Athena even want the title of the beauty queen?"

"Beats me," Iris shrugged her shoulders, "they went to Zeus to settle their dispute, and Father of Gods ordered me to find and bring you. Are you coming?"

"Yes, yes," hurriedly agreed Hermes. He saw it as his way out, "I am going to give that apple to Aphrodite and hopefully as a reward I can be excused from the further participation and go and at last have a sound sleep in my own bed."

"Here you are, my dear son!" exclaimed Zeus; he didn't look perplexed at all by the loud shouts and insulting words that the three goddesses hurled at each other. He threw one arm around his son shoulders and took him aside so that nobody could hear their conversation.

"I need you to do something for me," he started, "did Iris already fill you in about what happened?"

"Yes," replied Hermes, "I am really sorry, father, I have no idea how did it happen, I didn't loose Eris' invitation on purpose."

"I know that, stuff happens, don't worry," assured him Zeus.

"Why don't you stop this stupid quarrel and give the apple to Aphrodite? She is the goddess of love and beauty. The apple belongs to her, fare and square. Do you think Hera really will be that much upset? I am sure that after all this is over, all three of them will be laughing at it together."

"Yes, yes, under the normal circumstances I would do just that and won't require your help," hurriedly assured him Zeus. "But you see, I want some private time with the latest lady you found me, so I need Hera out of the way. I told the trio that I am not going to be a judge since I can't be impartial, Hera is my wife and Athena is my daughter, and I don't want any of the gods to make a decision either. A mortal will decide. I'll give you that apple and you'll take the goddesses to the mortal of my choice. Take the scenic route. It will buy me some time. I have a wonderful plan how to spend the farewell night with my mistress."

"Farewell night? You already tired of her? I thought you were so enamoured."

"Yes, I still am. Never in my life did I have a chance to kiss such marvellous lips. She is so gorgeous and passionate. May be a little too passionate. And she has strange inclinations."

"How strange?" Hermes became interested.

"Oh, no, it's not what you think. She wants me to give her a lot of children. She even picked up the name for our firstborn son. Can you imagine? And, while waiting for the extended family to materialize, she wants to adopt some orphans. I think she already has her eyes on Eros, she saw him alone a couple of times and thought him motherless."

"That can be interesting," chuckled Hermes.

"May be, but I think it's too much and I don't like obsessive women. I decided I would spend one more night with her and then you could take her home. I actually saw Leda recently. She still looks fabulous and I feel nostalgic. She is a quiet lady and never asked me for anything."

"What a woman can ask for after having Helen and Polydeuces as children?"

"You are right but she never even asked for them. Anyway, will you do me this favor?"

"Of course, father. Who is the lucky mortal you chose?"

"Oh, actually, it was my mistress who gave me this idea."

"You already consulted her?" Hermes was genially surprised.

"No, but remember, I told you she already picked up the name for her firstborn son?"

"Yeah, but this is really weird."

"I also think so, she even dreams about him and I don't like those dreams."

"Why?"

"She calls her son Alexander, nothing wrong with that name, but in her last dream she said "_In my womb I carried my avenger!" _ What if Prometheus was wrong and it's not Thetis who will give birth to the son who is stronger than his father? I don't need those complications in my life. Anyway, about Alexander…"

"Your future son?"

"No, of course not! I am not going to have any children with this mistress but she reminded me about another Alexander and I think he will a perfect judge."

"How so?"

"He is very beautiful himself so he can judge the beauty of others. Actually, his real name is Paris, he is a shepherd on the slopes on Mound Ida; he takes a good care not only of his animals but also of other shepherds and country people around, this is why he was nicknamed Alexander."

"You want some cute looking herdsman to be a judge in a beauty dispute between three goddesses?"

"As I said, he is very beautiful and he is not a mere herdsman, he is a prince, a prince of Troy, he simply doesn't know it yet."

"Son of Priam and Hecuba? But then what he is doing guarding the sheep on Mount Ida? Is he an illegitimate son of Priam?"

"No, I don't think so, though if he indeed was born out of the wedlock, he is Hecuba's son."

"Oh, who is the lucky father?"

"Want to guess? He is drop dead gorgeous, blond, marvelously plays on lyre and deadly with a bow."

"I thought Apollo was interested in Cassandra, Hecuba's daughter. Though, sadly, that affair didn't go particularly well."

"No big surprise there. Anyway, speaking of Cassandra, when Paris was born, she predicted that he would bring the destruction of Troy. This is why Priam ordered to take this newborn out of the palace and leave it on the slopes of Mount Ida to die."

"I think I remember the story now," interrupted Hermes. "So, the boy didn't die?"

"No, he is well and alive. I am sure he will be a worthy judge."

Hermes thought for a moment and then said, "That Alexander would be blind not to give the apple to Aphrodite but aren't you concerned that Hera and Athena would be mad at him?"

"This is why, to be on a safe side, you won't tell them where are you going and who that Alexander really is. I don't want a war to be waged because of some stupid fruit - that will be really embarrassing!"

And so, following his father wishes and instructions, Hermes collected somewhat unwilling goddess and took them to what he thought were the slopes of Mount Ida. Unfortunately, the combination of his tiredness because of constant time travel and desire to conceal the real destination of their trip produced an unexpected result and landed Hermes and his charges in the wrong place and at the wrong time.

"Well," thought Hermes examining the young man sitting under the tree, "he is definitely good looking and blond, but that's about it, I don't see any resemblance to my brother but may be it's for the better." He turned to the goddesses, "First, I make myself visible and talk to him. Please don't show yourselves until I let you know it's all right."

Hermes cleared his throat and said, addressing the young man, "Alexander," then, deciding that a little flattery won't hurt and he will be telling the truth anyway, "Prince Alexander."

Alexander woke from his reverie, and jumped from his sitting position, a sword in his hand.

"Oh, wow, excellent reaction!" impressed, Hermes smiled and spread out his hands, "I am unarmed, young man, and mean no harm."

Alexander looked suspiciously at the stranger. He looked like a messenger, lean and muscular, dirty sandals, some strange clothes of indescribable colour, wide brimmed hat covered his head, straight black hair falling to his shoulders.

"Sorry to disturb your rest, Alexander, but I am here on the orders from my father. He thinks you are the only one worthy of the task."

"Your father? Who are you exactly?"

"Hermes." The messenger god decided that he is not going to play games and assumed his real image. He saw Alexander's eyes grew big and taking the step back he pointed the tip of his sword at Hermes' chest.

They locked their eyes in silent appraisal of each other, the sparks of curiosity dancing in Hermes' and distrust in Alexander's.

"Gods don't visit mortals anymore," at last said Alexander, the sword still in his hand.

"I wasn't aware of the fact," Hermes warded of the blade with his hand. "I hope you will be less bellicose with the goddesses, they may take it the wrong way."

"Goddesses?" still in disbelieve, asked Alexander.

"Yes," replied Hermes, not at all suspicious of the question. "Aphrodite, Hera and Athena. I doubt that you've heard but Eris, the goddess of Strife, got offended by the fact that she wasn't invited to the wedding of Thetis and Peleus that took place yesterday on the Mount Pelion."

"Yesterday?" Alexander didn't know what to think. Did he fell asleep while waiting for Hephaistion who promised to join him as soon as he was released from his duties? If he was really dreaming, the one who called himself Hermes looked very real.

"Yes, yesterday," confirmed the god, completely misinterpreting the question and the reason for confusion on Alexander's face. He told him about the apple, ensuing quarrel between the goddesses and Zeus' decision.

"The goddesses are here," Hermes continued, "if you are ready, I will ask them to reveal themselves. My father has a complete confidence in you and everybody will abide by your decision. Make a right choice, Alexander!" and with those words Hermes drew an invisible arc with his hand in the air and three goddesses, in all their splendor, appeared before amazed eyes of Alexander.

Alexander gasped and took a step backward. He was familiar with the world of Homer as long as he remembered himself and he was aware of the rumours spread by his mother that he was a son of Zeus, but he definitely didn't expect to find himself in a presence of any of the Olympians.

Aphrodite, Hera and Athena didn't waste their time. Each of them truly believed that the apple was rightfully hers and if Zeus decided that a mortal would judge, so be it. Alexander didn't pay much of attention to what goddesses were promising him for he knew the story all too well. Pretending listening he was secretly appraising their appearances.

Aphrodite was truly beautiful, golden locks that cascaded freely down her shoulders to her waste were decorated with turquoise clasps that matched her eyes perfectly, a chiton of unusual but stunning emerald colour was of the transparency of a light cloud in the bright sky and left little to imagination. Her smile was breathtakingly seductive, the curve of her mouth was charmingly capricious and the sparkles in the eyes didn't give those who looked into them much of a free will.

Athena's appearance perfectly reflected her wisdom and consideration. She had dark brown curls, solemn brown eyes and lightly tanned skin. She didn't wear a single decoration on her attire though Alexander was surprised to notice the absence of any war regalia. She held her head proudly, spoke solemnly and the only emotion she showed was a couple of disdainful looks she cast in Aphrodite direction.

The biggest surprise was Hera. Somehow Alexander imagined her completely different. She had glossy black hair, black eyes and was rather tall. But her proud bearing, the tone of her voice, her every gesture shouted "Power".

"Hera wants the apple as a proof of her power, not her beauty," thought Alexander, "Athena wants it because she thinks that a wise woman is a beautiful woman, and Aphrodite…why Aphrodite wants the apple when she is definitely the most beautiful creation in this world? No doubt she knows that and regardless to whom I give this apple, Aphrodite is the most beautiful and stunning being there is."

"Well, young man," and Hera haughtily looked at Alexander, "what is your decision?"

"I never saw such unearthly beauties as yours in my entire life," politely started the prince, "you would understand that the choice is not easy, please give me some time to think," and with those words Alexander turned away and walked a short distance in the direction of the orchard. "There is no better place to choose the owner of the golden apple than under the apples trees," consoled himself Alexander. He had no idea what choice he had to make and he wasn't happy about the fact.

"Everybody, myself including, always thought that Paris made a wrong and stupid decision by giving the apple to Aphrodite. But what decision is there to make? That apple belongs to Aphrodite because she IS the fairest even if I don't care about her promise to give me the most beautiful woman as a wife, though my mother would be definitely happy. I still wonder how did it happen and why Hermes brought the apple to me instead of Paris, surely the prince of Troy and I are not the only Alexanders that ever existed. Don't they see that it's the wrong time and place? The gods are supposed to be all knowing.

I can, of course, give the apple to Hera and get all the power there is in the world or to Athena and became an undefeated warrior and general but the truth is, I want to achieve all that by myself without help from any of the gods. But if the past and the present are connected in some weird way and I do decided the owner of the apple to be either Hera or Athena, the Trojan War won't happen, and Achilles won't attain his glory and Homer won't have a subject to immortalize in this songs, where does it leaves me? I won't have my hero to follow and world will be bleaker without his deeds.

May be it's for the best? He and Patroclus will live a long and happy life together and I don't have to worry about Hephaistion's life since Patroclus won't die first? But do I have the right to deprive my ancestor of his glory? What if, by doing so, I deprive myself of being the great general and the king and spend the rest of my life as a pale shadow of my father, not even as the heir to the throne, just as Paris would, if Aphrodite didn't bring her protégé from obscurity to fame?

But it's not what I am! I am destined to conquer the world, to see its boundaries, to bring all the people inside it together! Maybe I should make the same choice as Paris but why would I wish to have the most beautiful woman as my wife if I have the most beautiful man as my beloved?

Perhaps I should split that apple in three equal parts and give one part to each goddess? Or should I ask Hermes to fetch two more apples from the garden of Hesperides and write on them "_to the most powerful" _and_ "to the wisest"_ and give each of the three goddess what is rightfully theirs? Will they be happy with my decision? Or maybe I should simply eat that apple and eliminate the problem? I wish Aristotle thought about discussing the choice of Paris in one his classes and came up with the best solution! And, damn it, where is Hephaistion, I definitely can use his advice now!"

Alexander's thoughts were interrupted by Hermes who silently appeared before him. "Still thinking?" asked the god.

"Yes, it's not that easy," answered Alexander, "otherwise Zeus would make that decision himself."

"You think the Father of Gods chose you because you are more clever than him?" haughtily asked Hermes.

"Why then?" no less haughtily asked Alexander.

Hermes snorted but decided not to fill the prince into any details and so he continued, "Anyway, whether you reached any decision or not, I came here to tell you that it's not your problem anymore, the goddesses made their own choice and they are delighted with it."

"You must be kidding! I will never believe that they could agree on that, did they draw straws?"

"Oh, no," Hermes was rather amused by such an idea, "even if they did that, they would immediately declare that the winner cheated and squabble over it all over again!" he then forced himself to become serious because he didn't want to reveal too much about the goddesses though the fact was obvious.

"What then?" asked Alexander, truly surprised. It was rather unforeseeable turn of events but then, nothing was usual about that situation.

"Come and see," suggested Hermes. Alexander turned and started to walk in the direction of the goddesses.

"Oh, no," he gasped when he saw what was happening and began to run. Hermes sprinted after him.

"What is that?" angrily asked Alexander when he reached the goddesses and pushed them rather rudely away.

"I know now why Zeus decided that you should be a judge," Aphrodite silver laughter rang as a bell of doom in Alexander's ears, "he wanted us to see him," Aphrodite seductively smiled and biting her lower lip, stretched her arm and tried to twist Hephaistion's locks around her finger.

"No way," resolutely said Alexander and then reproachfully looked at Hephaistion, "Where have you been? I waited for you so long! And you took the apple!"

"I didn't exactly take it," Hephaistion tried to defend himself, "they forced it on me. And I wasn't late intentionally, we were all hold late because of tomorrow's celebration."

Despite this explanation Alexander angrily took the apple from Hephaistion hands and faced the goddesses, "you are not giving this apple to him and he is not going to belong to any of you! Can't you read? The inscription is _"to the fairest one"_, it's intended for a woman, not a man. Leave him alone!"

The goddesses weren't impressed or intimidated by Alexander decision but when Hera made one step in Alexander direction to take the apple from him, the prince turned away from Zeus's wife and hastily pushed the apple into Aphrodite's hand.

"Here is my decision. Happy now?" Alexander shifted again trying to hide Hephaistion from the goddesses' view.

"Touchy," said Athena and shook her head; Alexander wasn't sure whether in approval or disapproval, "but not wise. Time will come and you will need to share him with somebody else. Some princeling will see him and will take him away from you for sure."

"No," resolutely said Alexander, "nobody is going to take him from me. With all due respect, goddess, foreseeing the future is not your area of expertise."

"It doesn't need to be," Athena would normally be offended by such an attitude, but she couldn't tire her eyes off Hephaistion and paid little attention to Alexander's insult, "One doesn't need the ability to see into the future to know that, it's enough to be simply wise, and I think I am known for that, am I not?"

Hermes suddenly remembered that Zeus wanted him to attend to another business after Alexander made his decision and he was afraid that now new quarrel might start, this time not about the apple but about Hephaistion.

"Alexander made his decision," declared the god, "the apple belongs to Aphrodite as the most faire of the goddesses. The rest of you have to accept it and bear no grudge. Let's leave Alexander and Hephaistion along and return to Olympus.

"Aphrodite may be fairest of us," without visible concern said Hera, "but Alexander will get no reward for his judgement. He doesn't care for getting the most beautiful woman as his wife, that much is obvious, but if he would give the apple to Athena or me, we would stand behind him and defend him from any enemies who would like to take Hephaistion from him. Alexander already has the love of Hephaistion and there is nothing else any man can ask for. There is nothing Aphrodite can do for him.

The goddess of love threw her head back and laughed. "Oh wife of Zeus, you are so wrong! Like Athena, you don't see the flow of the future and know very little about men. Alexander doesn't need Athena's help in conquering people or your help in became the king of all the Asia, he can get it himself."

"He doesn't need you help in securing Hephaistion's love either," snapped Athena, "he already has it!"

"True, but let's leave them alone and take our quarrel somewhere else," suggested Aphrodite and then turned to Alexander and Hephaistion who rather wearily watched how the new brawl, now on their behalf, started to develop before their eyes.

"Yes, that's right," hastily suggested Hermes, "let's return back to Olympus. Then, seeing how Aphrodite was staying behind, he asked her, "Are you coming?"

"Later," said the goddess of Love, "Fare well, my dear ones," she said to the pair, "take care of each other and remember, love can take cities and conquer nations as easy as bravery on a battlefield and wisdom in a council."

"Let's go," said Hera, unmoved, and then turned to Alexander and Hephaistion, "I don't bear you any ill will for your judgement, but you are on your own in this world, take from it whatever you can."

Aphrodite wasn't perplexed by Hera's and Athena's attempts to diminish her ability to help. Disguised, she resolutely went in the direction of nearby city; she didn't know yet where she was and decided to find out and then to see how she can help. She knew only what Zeus said, Alexander was a mere shepherd, a beautiful nobody, and she had no reason to suspect otherwise.

However, very quickly she learned the truth and though she didn't know the reason for Hermes' mistake, she decided to act upon the knowledge she got. So later the same evening she stared with contempt at the man who was grovelling at her feet though her face showed all the promise of love and earthly pleasures she was capable of.

"I believe in you," she said and lightly touched with her fingers the rough hairs of the man who tried passionately kiss the hem of her chiton, "you will avenge my offended honour and your dignity and tomorrow night, after the deed is done we'll celebrate together our victory and I will give you my love and my body with all my heart."

But while Aphrodite was on earth, pulling the oldest trick in the book on the helpless and unsuspecting man to achieve her goal, on Olympus Apollo was fuming at Hermes who, while taking Hera and Athena back to their heavenly dwellings, realized his mistake and came for help to his brother, who knew a thing or two about the future.

"So, what do we do now?" weakly asked Hermes, "it was supposed to be Paris of Troy not Alexander of Macedon. Even if Paris would make the same choice I am sure it would produce the different result. How do we fix it?"

Apollo pressed his lips. He didn't like messing with the future but it was Hermes who already did it. Now it was necessary to fix it back. "Usually what is done can't be undone, but just for your sake and probably for the sake of many others, I will try to amend the situation. I will erase all the memory of the trial from the goddesses' minds and you will bring them to the right Alexander. Now, I know that Hera and Athena came back with you to Olympus, but where is Aphrodite and her golden apple?"

"She stayed behind," remembered Hermes, "can't we wait till tomorrow? I am sure she will be back in the morning, after some night adventure."

"Morning it is," said Apollo, "I hope she wouldn't do anything stupid that I will need to fix as well."

"I hope that too," echoed Hermes though he wasn't as sure as his brother appeared to be.

"For the sweet love of Aphrodite!" and without realizing how much truth was in his words and that he was a mere puppet in the goddess' hands, Pausanias plunged his sword into Philip's chest.


End file.
